Never Let You Go
by mmhem
Summary: Destiny is a funny thing. One minute it's putting you on top of the world, next it's chewing you up and spitting you out. Life is one big maze and it's your job to navigate through it. Whether you make the right decisions is all up to you. But what happens when you unknowingly defy fate? And how many times will it take to make things right? (Modern day au)
1. The Beginning of The End

*Chapter 1*

"Well, look who I ran into." crowed Coincidence

"Please," flirted Fate "this was meant to be."

\- Joseph Gordon-Levitt

I always used to laugh at the girls in movies who sat by their phones waiting for the boy they liked to call. It seemed ridiculous to me that some boy could occupy so much of a girl's time. There were better things to do than wait around for someone who might never like you back. Places to go and people to meet that were so much more important than finding your "soulmate". At least, that's what I used to think.

I've dated my fair share of boys. One night stands and summer flings that were nothing more than a little bit of excitement. I'd been told thousands of times that I was a tease or I was leading them on, but what did they expect? I wasn't in the business of finding love. Which is why I wasn't prepared when it hit me full on.

His name was Bellamy. I could barely remember how it all happened. One minute he was just another boy I had seen around town, the next we were making out in the front seat of his car. I expected it to be a one time thing until he was somehow pushing himself into my life. And at first, I didn't really mind.

My slow summer finally started to speed up. Days went by faster and I started losing track of the sun. Midnights were spent like afternoons, exploring places in town I never knew existed. It was like being on a first date that would never end. No pressure to feel more for him than I did and no strings attached. It was everything I had ever wanted, until late July rolled around.

We were sitting on the roof of his apartment building late one night, looking over our quiet little town like we did most nights that summer. Neither of us had really talked about ourselves much in the past two months, but for some reason that night just felt right. So, I started talking.

I told him about how my father had died and how my mother was full of regret. He told me about his little sister who was becoming quite the rebel and his mother who left them when he graduated high school. We told every secret we had until our mouths were dry and the sky turned bloody. And those goddamn strings began to show themselves.

About a week and a half after that, he told me he loved me. It was like being hit by a train. I had been standing on the tracks the whole time but hadn't noticed the ground shaking beneath me or the headlights coming my way until it was too late. Every defense I had built around myself came crashing down just by looking at his face, full of all these emotions I never thought anyone would have towards me. It was terrifying, probably because I loved him too. Yet, I never got the words out, which brings us full circle.

I always laughed at the girls in movies who sat by their phones waiting for the boy they liked to call. And because of Bellamy Blake, I was one of those girls.

The first thing I saw when I woke up was the telephone. The faded pink landline stared at me, as if daring me to pick it up and dial the number I now knew by heart. But I had fallen for that trick before and was starting to get sick of that dull beep and his bored voice telling me to leave a message. It was useless. The only thing I could do was wait, and I've never been very patient.

So instead, I heaved myself off the couch for the first time in who knows how long and attempted to compose myself. I trudged out of the boiling living room and into the boiling hall, straight into the boiling kitchen. There had been a heat wave rolling around that week that made everything feel like it was on the verge of melting. So basically, I was living in hell.

I pulled open the refrigerator door and stuck my head in, breathing in the barely cool air. If I tried hard enough, I could imagine I was swimming in a lake in Alaska, where there was no hot weather or hot boys who didn't call you back. It was peaceful for about two seconds until I heard my doorbell ring.

I glanced at the clock. It was three. The idea of him standing outside my front door was exhilarating and suddenly those few days of moping around didn't feel real. It was like a bucket of ice water was poured over my head and a new me came out. But the feeling didn't last. If he didn't answer the phone, why would he come to my house? My hope slowly faded.

It was probably Jasper and Monty bringing me yet another batch of desserts. It had only been three days, yet my kitchen was full of half eaten brownies, cookies, and cake. And also a few hidden bottles of moonshine they had made in their unlimited free time. I appreciated all they had been doing but they weren't exactly who I wanted to see.

I closed the refrigerator and walked to the door, the temporary cold seeping away. I quickly rubbed at my face, hoping I didn't look as horrible as I felt, before pulling open the front door. But no one was there.

I gingerly leaned out of the doorway and glanced around. My porch was vacant and my sunny street was quiet. I went to take a step but ran into something solid and heavy. Sitting innocently on my welcome mat was a box. A regular, brown, cardboard box with my name in neat letters on the top.

"What the hell is this?" I said to no one in particular, kneeling down and poking at the sturdy cardboard. Nothing moved or blew up. I kicked it with my foot. Nothing happened.

"Fine." I muttered, picking up the box and heading back inside, kicking the door shut behind me. "This better not be a bomb or I swear to God... "

I lowered myself onto the living room floor and set the box in front of me. So far, it seemed safe but I had an odd feeling in my stomach. Like something was about to happen that would change everything. Of course, that was ridiculous. It was just a box. The only question was what was inside?

"Here I go." I whispered to myself before ripping the tape off the top and carefully opening the flaps.

The box was filled to the brim with all kinds of things. There were papers and photos and books and objects that held no significance to me. At the very top was a little note with a coffee circle in the middle of it and the ripped edge from taking it out of a notebook.

"You are the risk I will always take"

I had never heard the phrase before, yet when I read it something clicked in my mind. It was like having a strong sense of deja vu that didn't go away. A chill went down my spine.

"Stupid." I muttered, setting the note aside and picking up a stack of pictures at the top of the pile. The first one was of a girl in a flapper dress posing on a little stage. The black and white quality made it hard to tell but the girl looked sort of familiar.

The next one was of a man wearing a crisp suit and a sharp hat that hid most of his face. The deja vu feeling ran through me again, this time even stronger. It felt like there was a dam in my mind, holding back a flood of memories that I was desperate to see. I flipped to the next picture and stopped in my tracks.

Both the flapper girl and the suited man were in this picture and you could clearly see their smiling faces. The man, who looked much younger in this photo, had his arm around the girl's waist and she had her face pressed close to his shoulder. But the scariest thing about the faded picture was that the faces were familiar.

It was Bellamy. And me.


	2. June 1921

*Chapter 2*

"Fate is like a strange, unpopular restaurant filled with odd little waiters who bring you things you never asked for and don't always like."

-Lemony Snicket

Bellamy Blake didn't mean to be at the speakeasy. He usually hated those places, full of cigarette smoke and drunk people always asking him to dance. It wasn't really his style. All he wanted was a glass of whiskey and to get his work done, but if he was being honest that didn't sound like something that would happen. Speakeasies tended to make you do things that you wouldn't usually do. It might have been the constant risk of being caught with alcohol at an illegal bar or just the music that was always floating through the air. Either way, Bellamy knew it wasn't a safe place to be. But like I mentioned before, he didn't mean to be at the speakeasy. It just sort of happened.

Bellamy could feel the music even before he entered the bar. It was shaking the floor of the empty shoe store, making it feel like he was in the middle of a mini earthquake. Being a private investigator, who got put on cases to shut down speakeasies all the time, he knew that if this club didn't want to get caught they should turn down their music. But in that moment, Bellamy didn't really care. Because the alcohol was calling to him and the thrill of doing something wrong for once rushed through him like lightning.

He glanced behind him, making sure no one was watching through the glass front of the store, as he felt along the wall for the secret door that would open the panel in the wall. The thump of the club was even louder there, making Bellamy's nerves jump all over the place. It took him a second before he finally found the panel and pulled it open, revealing a narrow passage leading to a big oak door.

With one last deep breath, Bellamy entered the dark hallway and pulled the panel shut behind him, shrouding everything in shadows. He walked steadily to the oak door, braced himself for the chaos behind it, then quickly pulled it open. He always thought it was easier to do things quickly like that. Like ripping off a bandaid or pulling the trigger on a gun. It made the pain swift and the relief sudden.

But it was hard to be prepared for the holy mess that was a speakeasy. This one in particular was filled to the breaking point. Men and women all dressed to the nines, flooded the rather small, circular club. At the front of the room was a small stage with a piano and a man crooning into the microphone, while people danced along. At the edge of the circle was a bar that was surprisingly empty of people. Bellamy was filled with relief. He didn't hesitate before slipping through the dense crowd, towards the shining bottles of illegal liquor.

"What can I get, ya?" the bartender asked as Bellamy sat down. Compared to the front of the room, the bar seemed much quieter, giving Bellamy's mind room to think.

"Whiskey." he answered, absentmindedly pulling out his work. The life of a private investigator didn't allow much room for fun. There were cases to be sorted through and research to be done. Not to mention the police reports that had to be written for every crime scene that Bellamy had ever witnessed. It was difficult work but it was worth it.

The bartender set a glass down on the bar in front of him then looked Bellamy over. He looked amused, staring at the pen in his hand and the crime report that was only partly written.

"I'm not an expert or anything, but I'm pretty sure bars are meant for relaxing." the bartender said, leaning against the bar and pouring the dark whiskey into the cup. Bellamy quickly glanced up but continued writing, trying to recall the exact details of the crime scene he had witnessed earlier that week.

"I don't have time for relaxing." Bellamy sighed, taking a gulp of whiskey. The familiar burn as it went down his throat felt good. It had been a while since he had had a drink. Especially since the Prohibition law was just passed.

"I see." The bartender nodded, studying Bellamy more closely. "I've seen plenty of your kind around here." Now Bellamy was interested.

"My kind?" He asked, setting down his pen and forgetting his report. It was pretty crappy anyway.

"A businessman. But not in the way you might think. Someone who works hard for what they have and doesn't take anyone's shit. You're a leader."

It was true. Ever since he was a kid, Bellamy had been someone to look up to. He had good grades in school and plenty of friends. He had his whole life planned out and nothing was stopping him from getting what he wanted. Although, his childhood did have a few bumps in the road. But he didn't like thinking about that.

"Something is different tonight, though." The bartender continued, refilling my glass and wiping down the counter. "There's a reason you're here tonight. You say it's the alcohol or the party but there's something else. Something you can't quite put your finger on."

"And what exactly brought me here tonight then?" Bellamy asked, trying to hold in a laugh. Whatever the bartender was spewing, Bellamy wasn't buying it. He may have been right at first but now he just sounded insane.

"Do you believe in fate, Mr. Blake?" The bartender asked, leaning closer now and lowering his voice.

"Not particularly." Bellamy replied, wondering how the bartender knew his name.

"Of course not. They never do." The bartender sighed, almost to himself. "Well, get back to your work then."

Bellamy raised his eyebrows and waited for the bartender to say more but he didn't, returning to his spot at the other end of the bar. That was odd, thought Bellamy turning back to his police report and taking another swig of whiskey. He tried to focus on the paper in front of him but the words went in one ear and out the other. He was about to blame it on the alcohol or the too loud music but the bartender's words came back to him. Maybe destiny had led Bellamy to the speakeasy that night. The idea was ridiculous and hopeful all at once. What did fate have in store that night?

"What the hell are you doing?" a voice said suddenly from behind Bellamy. He spun around to see a girl staring at him with a teasing smile and her hands on her hips.

"Huh?" he asked after a second, not able to take his eyes away from the girl in front of him. She was gorgeous, with red tinted lips and blonde hair that hung in ringlets around her shoulders. She was wearing heels that made her even more menacing and a sparkling dress that looked like a star compared to the dense sea of people. It was easy for Bellamy to say that she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"I don't know if you noticed, but there's a whole party going on around you." the girl said, smiling at the people around her. "And you're just sitting here, doing what exactly? Writing a paper?"

Bellamy glanced at his police report, sitting untouched on the bar. The girl reached over and took it, her blue eyes scanning the paper quickly. When she looked back at him, she looked amused.

"A murder, huh?" she smirked, "I'm sorry but that has to be the most morbid thing I have ever seen! What's the point of coming to a club if you aren't going to have a little fun?"

"I have work to do." Bellamy replied, lamely. It did seem a bit dumb now that he thought about it. What was his real reason for coming to the speakeasy? Once again, the idea of fate popped into his mind like an annoying fly.

"Well sir, I'm dedicated to making sure everyone who enters this place is having fun, and I'm almost one hundred percent sure that you aren't." the girl laughs, folding the paper and throwing it back onto the bar. "What do you say to dancing with me?"

Bellamy's head began to spin. He had danced with girls before and done more with girls before, but something felt different this time around. A beautiful girl was asking him to dance and for once he was speechless. He was starting to think that luck was what got him there, not fate.

"Uh, sure." he said, after a minute of tense silence. The girl squealed with delight before grabbing his hand and pulling him through the crowd and towards the dance floor.

Being inside the crowd was much different than circling around it. It was hotter and louder and you could feel the adrenaline pumping through each and every person. All of Bellamy's doubts faded away and he finally started to feel happy. He couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face.

"There you go!" the girl laughed, yelling over the music. Instead of the man and the piano on stage, there were three girls in matching dresses who were singing a fast tune about something Bellamy couldn't quite understand. It was thrilling and so unlike anything Bellamy had ever experienced.

The girl took his other hand and began dancing, jumping to the beat and swinging their hands back and forth. Bellamy couldn't help but laugh as he followed her lead, twirling her around so that the sparkles on her dress flew around like fireworks. The song wasn't very long, but dancing with this girl felt like a lifetime to Bellamy and he never wanted it to stop.

The next song was slower, and surprisingly the crowd began to settle down with it. Groups began to wander to the far edges of the room while couples paired up and began to slow dance. Bellamy glanced nervously at the girl in front of him but she already had his hands on her waist and her arms wrapped around his neck. Despite the slower pace, Bellamy's heart still beat faster than normal.

"My name is Clarke, by the way." the girl said, beginning to sway along with the music. "I work here as a dancer, but tonight's my night off."

"Do you do this on most of your free nights, Clarke?" Bellamy asked, realizing how reckless this was. He didn't even know this girl, yet here he was dancing with her. It was so unlike him, which made it feel even better.

"I do try to keep the party going." Clarke said, laughing softly. "But not many people get to dance with me. I guess you're special."

"Or just so extremely boring that you pitied me and wanted to do me a service." Bellamy said, rolling his eyes at the "s" word. He had been called that by plenty of people in the past, but all of them were people he wanted to forget.

"Don't be so down on yourself. Some people just need a little boost. You just have to learn that you can't be afraid of what might happen. Maybe you'll make mistakes, or maybe you'll fall in love. But either way, you're having fun, right?"

Bellamy couldn't stop the smile that spread over his face. He had never seen someone with so much hope in their eyes. It was like she was full of some kind of magic that made it impossible to ever feel bad in her company. He had never met anyone like her.

"Clarke, do you believe in destiny?" Bellamy asked, the word rolling easily off his tongue. Clarke furrowed her eyebrows for a second before answering.

"I'm not sure. I think people always have a choice in what they do in life. They get to decide whether they live a good life or a bad life. But maybe either way you go, destiny decides where you end up."

I think meeting you was my fate. The words were on the tip of Bellamy's tongue but he knew he couldn't say them. He had only just met Clarke and the last thing he wanted to do was mess it up by proclaiming that they were meant to be. Besides, they may not even last until tomorrow. Which meant that he had to make the best of it.

"Would it be alright if I tell you everything about me?" Bellamy blurted suddenly, studying Clarke's face so that he never forget it. "In case destiny decides that we aren't meant to last more than the night."

Clarke looked surprised for a second before breaking into a beautiful smile. That smile could light Bellamy's world for the rest of his life. Maybe he didn't entirely believe in fate, but he couldn't ignore that he fell in love with Clarke the moment he saw her.

"Only if I can tell you everything about me." she whispered, leaning close enough that their lips could almost touch. Bellamy took a deep breath.

"My name is Bellamy Blake. I have a sister named Octavia. I'm a private investigator. And I would be lying if I said I didn't want to kiss you right now."

Bellamy Blake didn't mean to be at the speakeasy. But kissing Clarke Griffin wasn't something he would regret. And when the time came to call the number she scrawled on a stray napkin, Bellamy wouldn't hesitate in asking her to get coffee. And when Bellamy's car wouldn't start and it started to rain, he wouldn't be making a mistake by sweeping her off her feet and telling her he's in love. Because that's their fate.


	3. Not So Happily Ever After

*Chapter 3*

"Some things are destined to be - it just takes a couple of tries to get there."

\- J.R Ward

I wasn't usually a drinker, but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? Not to mention I had quite the collection of moonshine just waiting to be drank. So… screw it.

I snatched one of the flasks from my closet and quickly returned to my spot on the living room floor where the mystery box still sat, waiting to be looked through. Although, I had a feeling that by the time I got to the bottom I would be emotionally scarred. I had already cried buckets from looking at the first layer of memories.

Along with the pictures, was a half written police report in familiar messy writing, a worn out napkin with a phone number on it, and a marriage certificate dated July 19, 1921. And by then I had no doubt that I was going crazy because on the certificate were the signatures of Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin.

The last paper in the stack was a newspaper clipping that was stiff and musty. The words were smudged but I could still make out what it said. I wished I couldn't.

_On the night of August 6, 1921 another local speakeasy was shut down. Hidden behind Reyes Shoe Store, the speakeasy was filled with people, despite the late hour. Due to the chaos, many people escaped without consequence, but the owner of the speakeasy and several of his employees were caught and arrested. One employee in particular, a dancer by the name of Clarke Griffin-Blake, was shot and killed during the riot, along with two civilians and one of New York's most famous private investigators, Bellamy Blake. According to witnesses, Blake and Griffin were married only a month ago and were said to be deeply in love. When Griffin was shot, Blake ran towards her and was shot as well by the same officer. No charges are being held at this time. This scene proves the dangers of speakeasies and authorities hope that civilians will be able to see that there is more pain in drinking illegally than fun. _

The tears came again without warning. How could something so horrible happen? They were in love! They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together! What happened that made everything go so downhill?

Next to the article was two pictures. One, of a man with handcuffs on being led to a police car. The caption underneath read: Bartender and owner of the speakeasy. The picture underneath it was of Bellamy and I. It seemed to have been taken before the police raided, probably by a friend like the rest of the pictures in the box. We were slow dancing, as a man sang on stage. The club was seemingly empty, with only a few employees cleaning up in the background. We had no idea the picture was being taken.

Bellamy and Clarke Blake in the speakeasy the night before arrest.

I didn't get it. They had the same names as us and looked exactly the same as us, yet it wasn't possible. How could someone live in two different time periods? It didn't make sense. Yet there I was, with a box full of evidence and no memories to prove it. I wanted Bellamy to be here with me. Somehow I knew he would understand this better than me.

But Bellamy wasn't here and never would be. I was on my own for this. So, I set aside the first stack and looked back into the box.

The first thing I saw was a crumpled paper airplane. On the inside was a messy crayon drawing of two stick figures holding hands. One was a girl with blonde hair and the other a boy with curly brown hair. Beneath the drawing it said: Always

I looked back into the box for another airplane, but there was no reply. What did it mean? And what was going to happen to us next?


	4. The Boy Next Door

*Chapter 4*

"We are all of us born with a letter inside us, and that if only we are true to ourselves, may we be allowed to read it before we die"

-Douglas Coupland

8 year old Clarke Griffin was in love. She was sure of it. Despite only being in the 3rd grade, the way she felt about her next door neighbor Bellamy was something more than a crush. Besides, she knew what love was. Her mom and dad were in love. Snow White and Prince Charming were in love. So, why couldn't she be in love?

But the best part about being in love, in Clarke's opinion, was that Bellamy loved her too. No matter how much he denied it, obviously his feelings for Clarke were the same. I mean, he always played with her after school and sent paper airplanes through her window, which was directly across from his. He got her presents on her birthday and would share his Goldfish with her at lunch. All of these things, according to Clarke, were signs of deep, unrequited love. Although, lately Bellamy hadn't been so close.

"Where's Bellamy?" Clarke asked one afternoon, as she followed her best friend Octavia into her bedroom. Octavia was Bellamy's sister and was completely dedicated to getting her best friend and brother together.

"Out with his friends, I think." Octavia answered, plopping onto her hot pink bedspread that was completely unwrinkled and perfect, as always.

Clarke frowned, staring out the window towards the end of their street where cars usually came and went. It was deserted. She hadn't noticed him leave and he hadn't said anything about it that morning when he sent an airplane like he usually did. The only thing inside was a drawing of Clarke on a rocketship, surrounded by all the planets. Underneath, it read: Princess in Space. Clarke smiled at that.

"He's been doing that a lot lately." Octavia continued, laying back against the pile of pillows she had on her bed. "It's like being in 4th grade changed him."

Clarke had been thinking the same thing. The whole school year Bellamy had been getting farther and farther away. He stopped playing with her at recess, instead hanging out with his stupid friends who were mean to her. He made plenty of excuses, but Clarke wasn't buying any of it. She was starting to feel like a baby compared to him.

"What do you think is gonna happen next year?" Clarke asked, turning her back on the window. "What if it gets worse?"

The thought had always run through Clarke's mind. Everyone knew that when you became a 5th grader things changed, big time. You got taller and meaner and finally turned double digits. It was your last year of elementary school and pretty soon you would be a big middle schooler. The idea of Bellamy becoming of teenager scared Clarke.

"Maybe this is just a phase." Octavia shrugged, trying to think of something to say to make Clarke feel better. "Maybe over the summer he'll be himself again."

"I hope so." Clarke said quietly, crawling onto Octavia's bed. Clarke used to be sure that her and Bellamy's love could never end. They were like Belle and the Beast or Aurora and Prince Philip. They were supposed to last forever. But suddenly, Clarke was beginning to doubt herself.

On the last day of school, Clarke's parents had a party. Nearly the whole town was invited, including the mayor, who happened to be a family friend. The mayor's son, Wells, was pretty close with Clarke and she had several memories with the Jaha family. But she liked to keep that hidden, especially from her classmates, who made fun of her for it and called her "princess." The only person who could do that was Bellamy.

The party started at 5 o'clock, which left two hours for Clarke to prepare her house and herself for the guests. She helped her parents hang streamers and paper lanterns from trees in their backyard and set out plates full of food that she was tempted to eat. Especially the big chocolate cake, that her mother warned would give her a stomach ache if she ate too much. It was absolutely perfect.

At four thirty, Clarke bounded up to her room and got dressed. She put on her favorite sky blue dress that she only wore on special occasions and braided her hair. She was getting pretty good at doing that. She nearly felt like a grown up.

Before Clarke went downstairs, she looked out her window. As always, there was Bellamy's room, with it's blue walls and perfect organization. The Blake's had a weird habit of keeping everything in order that made Clarke feel like a slob.

She couldn't see Bellamy but she knew he was in there. It was sort of like a sixth sense, except instead of seeing dead people, she knew exactly when her neighbor was in his room. Clarke quickly pulled a blank piece of paper from a stray notebook, scribbled a note on it, folded it, then sent it flying into his open window. Before she could see if he got it, Clarke left her room. The surprise of their messaging system was always the best part.

People started arriving right at five, sending Clarke and her parents into a frenzy of shaking hands and asking how people were. Clarke always thought asking people how they were was stupid because even when they weren't they said they were good. And wasn't lying supposed to be bad? She pointed it out to her parents once but all they said was that it was the polite thing to do, so she did it anyway.

The first of Clarke's friends to arrive was Jasper and Monty, who always seemed to be together. As always, Jasper had his goggles on top of his head while Monty was absentmindedly working on their next experiment. But the moment they saw the big chocolate cake Clarke's mom had made, they stopped in their tracks.

"Is that what I think it is?" Jasper gasped, his eyes widening and his mouth hanging open.

"Yep." Clarke said smugly, crossing her arms across her chest. "But you aren't allowed to have any until after dinner."

Monty and Jasper shared a look before flashing Clarke creepy smiles. "We'll see about that." Then they were off, planning their next adventure.

The next person to arrive was Finn who smiled sweetly at Clarke. Everyone knew that Finn had a huge crush on Clarke and at first she did too. They were boyfriend and girlfriend for a while that past year, but other people got in the way. For Clarke it was Bellamy. For Finn it was Raven, his old girlfriend, although she seemed to have her eyes on someone else now.

"How are you?" Clarke asked politely, shaking Finn's hand.

"Good." Finn smiled, saying what everyone else had before him. He glanced at his parents who were chatting with Clarke's. They were smiling and giving sneaky looks at their kids. "I think they're talking about us."

Clarke knew that her parents were deeply interested in her love life, which happened to be a huge annoyance. Especially since she didn't even like Finn anymore. He was a friend and nothing else. Although, their parents didn't seem to think so.

The last people to arrive were Octavia, Bellamy, and their mother, which seemed funny to Clarke considering they lived right next door. Clarke's heart did flips when she saw Bellamy who seemed a bit out of it. He kept glancing around and avoiding Clarke's gaze.

"Hey, Clarke." Octavia said with a smile, hugging Clarke tight. She had known Octavia long enough to tell when something was wrong and by the look in her eyes she knew something was up.

"I'm gonna go hang out with my friends." Clarke quickly told her mom, who was still chatting with Mrs. Blake.

"Sure." she nodded, absentmindedly. Whatever Mrs. Blake was saying, it must have been very interesting.

Clarke glanced at Bellamy one last time before following Octavia into the backyard. It was filled with people. There were parents talking happily about boring adult things and kids of all ages running around. Clarke and Octavia had to stop several times to talk to kids in their grade before they finally made it to the big oak tree at the edge of the yard with the old tire swing.

"What happened?" Clarke said urgently, when they finally sat down in the prickly grass.

"There's something up with Bellamy." Octavia said, her face filled with worry. "He's been going out with his friends everyday this week and whenever he gets home he barely talks to me and seems kind of… angry. He even yelled at my mom today. He said he didn't want to come here."

Clarke's heart felt like it was stone and was plummeting into her stomach. What was happening to her best friend? Was it because of her? She began to wonder if he even got her airplane. Or even if he was even in his room when she sent it.

"Do you think he's sick?" Clarke whispered, trying to make any excuse for her crush. Anything to make her feel better about the fact that he was finally growing up like he was destined to do. You can't stay in 3rd grade forever.

"Who's sick?" a voice asked suddenly. Clarke and Octavia looked up to see Jasper walking out from behind the tree with Monty trailing behind. Both of them had a ring of chocolate around their mouths and were licking their fingers greedily. Apparently it didn't take very long for them to get what they wanted.

"Bellamy." Octavia sighed, looking sad. "Or, at least we think so." I nodded sullenly, attempting to search the crowd for his familiar head of curls.

"What does he have? Is it the flu? Chicken pox?" Monty asked, sitting across from the girls and looking interested.

"No, it's not like that." Clarke said. She didn't usually confide in other boys with her love life but these were her friends and this was serious. Bellamy was in trouble and she needed help. "He's just changed. He's not himself."

Jasper and Monty looked confused, their eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted. It was funny how in sync they were. Sometimes it seemed like they were brothers.

"Like how he doesn't play with us anymore?" Jasper asked, his shoulders sagging a little at the thought.

"Or how he hangs out with those jerks that are mean to us?" asked Monty, sounding sad. Octavia and Clarke shared a look before nodding.

"Exactly."

The four friends didn't know what to think as they sat under the big oak tree with the old tire swing. Things didn't change often around their town, especially not so close to home. Whatever was going on with Bellamy seemed like a code that they just couldn't crack, no matter how hard they tried.

After a minute, Octavia spoke up. "What's wrong with my brother?"

"He's growing up." a new voice said. Raven Reyes walked closer to the group and sat down. The 4th grader had always been intimidating, but like Bellamy, was one of the nice ones. She looked grim as she looked over the groups worried faces.

"He's not sick or going through a phase. He's just getting older and more mature. It happens to all of us. First him, soon you guys. It's not much to worry about."

"Will it ever stop?" Octavia asked quietly, her eyes wide and innocent.

"I'm afraid not." Raven stated, sounding wiser by the second. "I don't think Bellamy will ever be the same."

To Clarke, that sounded like a death sentence. Her best friend, next door neighbor, and one true love was growing up. Never again would he send paper airplanes through her window or play with her by the big oak tree with the old tire swing or call her princess. Everything they had in her 8 years would be gone. It made Clarke want to cry.

Without a word, Clarke stood up and left the circle, determined to find Bellamy. She wasn't going to sit around and watch him become someone else. Someone meaner and so unlike the boy she loved. It just wasn't going to happen.

It didn't take long to spot his familiar head of curls in the sea of people. Clarke weaved through the crowd until she was only a few feet away. Too bad he wasn't the first one to notice.

"Hey, Princess" Murphy mocked, looking Clarke over menacingly. Bellamy spun around to face Clarke, his face full of surprise and something Clarke couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Don't call me that." Clarke muttered, avoiding Murphy's eyes. He always reminded Clarke of a fish with a big nose. Although, that didn't mean he wasn't still intimidating. "Bellamy, can I talk to you alone?"

"What was that, Princess? I couldn't hear you." Murphy interrupted, moving closer to Clarke. Bellamy's shock faded away, turning to cold anger.

"Back off, Murphy." he snapped, pushing his friend away. Murphy looked like he was about to say something but glanced at Clarke and kept his mouth shut. Bellamy looked back at Clarke, his eyes softening.

"Come on." He nodded, leading Clarke to the edge of the backyard. Clarke glanced at the oak tree to see Octavia, Jasper, Monty, and Raven still sitting in the grass, staring at her. She suddenly hoped, for both her and her friends, that this conversation would go well.

"What did you want to talk about?" Bellamy said once they had reached a spot empty of people. The softness in his eyes had hardened now, making Clarke's heart sink. This might not be as easy as she thought.

"Octavia and I are worried about you." Clarke said after a minute of tense silence. "We think you haven't been acting like yourself lately."

Bellamy looked confused for a second. Then angry.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he snapped. "I'm the same as I've always been." Clarke couldn't help but wince at his words. Bellamy never used to yell.

"You aren't the same though. You never talk to me anymore and you're always hanging out with Murphy and I barely get airplanes anymore. It's like you've completely forgotten about me! What happened to being best friends forever? Why do you have to grow up!" Clarke couldn't stop the tears as she began to yell. She had had all these thoughts pent up in her mind for weeks now but had never been able to say them to Bellamy's face. Suddenly, everything was flooding out.

"I always knew it would happen but why now? Why can't you wait just a bit longer till I grow up too? I thought we were in this together!"

"I can't stop growing up, Clarke." Bellamy said through gritted teeth. "I'm growing up and you should too. You can't stay 8 years old forever. It's time to get your head out of the clouds and accept the fact that someday things are going to have to change."

"I don't want things to change." Clarke whined, not bothering to wipe the tears from her face.

"Too bad. You'll have to stop being a princess someday."

Clarke's world broke into pieces.

Clarke's clock read 10 o'clock. She still couldn't sleep. Her head hurt and her heart hurt and all she wanted was to go back in time and change things. Maybe say things differently or not say anything at all. Funny how easily things could change. In a second your best friend can become a stranger.

At first she thought she was imagining the tapping at her window. Sometimes late at night when her mind was full, Clarke could hear things that weren't really there. But the tapping wasn't her imagination. Someone was throwing rocks at her window.

Clarke slowly got out of bed and stood in front of her window, looking below at the strip of grass between her house and the Blakes. It took a few seconds of searching before she spotted the familiar figure of Bellamy standing with a sign and a sad smile.

We need to talk. Come down.

Clarke had snuck out plenty of times before, so she knew how to make no sounds. But that wasn't to say she was particularly happy to be meeting her traitor neighbor.

"Clarke, I'm sorry." Bellamy said as soon as Clarke was standing in front of him, her lips pursued and arms crossing her chest. "I shouldn't have said any of those things. I didn't mean them."

"So you didn't mean it when you said I should grow up? Get my heads out of the clouds?" Clarke spat, remembering the sharp look in Bellamy's eyes.

"I didn't mean it, I swear. All of it was a lie. I haven't grown up and I haven't forgotten about you. I thought that if I stopped acting like a kid I would happier but I was wrong. I miss you too much, Princess." Bellamy said, his voice desperate and strained. Clarke felt like she could fly.

"You really mean that?" she asked, losing her angry pose.

"Of course." Bellamy smiled. "I'll always wait for you."

Clarke decided that she wasn't in love, that night. She didn't need to be. Bellamy had said everything she ever wanted to hear. So love could wait. As long as her best friend was always there, waiting for her to grow up alongside him.

Clarke's favorite airplane came that night. An answer to a question she asked earlier that day.

_Are you coming over today?_

_ Always._


	5. Blind (Part 1)

*Chapter 5*

"Life calls the tune, we dance."

-John Galsworthy

I finished the first flask of moonshine in ten minutes. The second one in five. Somehow I wasn't drunk yet. Or at least not drunk enough to forget what I had seen.

There were pictures of me as a little girl, swinging on a tire swing and posing in front of a big house I had never seen before. Pictures of a little boy, Bellamy of course, playing with me and another girl who looked remarkably like him. I had never met Bellamy's sister but I could tell that was her.

There was a red paper lantern and a worn sky blue dress that I would have fallen in love with when I was a child. (In this life at least). And how could I forget the thick stack of drawings, with creases from being folded into airplanes. Each one I looked at left a hole in my heart, yet I still didn't know why. Well, I sort of did, but I refused to believe it.

At the bottom of the stack was a printed out was a black and white picture of a house with a "for sale" sign in the front. I usually tried to look on the bright side of things but I knew this would be bad.

Another house sold on Ark Road for $617,000. Sold by Century 21 and the Blake family.

Once again, we weren't meant to be. Always wasn't good enough, apparently. I took another sip of moonshine. I wanted to close the box and forget all about it. Maybe set it on fire so I was never tempted again, but I knew I couldn't do it. There were too many memories inside and too much I needed to know. The box was something I could never take back, no matter how hard I tried.

I set aside the second stack, placing it next to the first one. If I was going to get my memories back I needed to be strong. So I wiped away the tears, put away the alcohol, and kept digging into my past lives. Because that's what they were and I couldn't deny it any longer.

I had always believed in parallel universes but I never thought something like this could happen. This was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. A chance to make whatever I was doing wrong, right.

So, I took the chance.

Bellamy Blake became blind at the age of 3. He didn't know what it was like to watch the sun set or to read a book. He could barely remember what his mother looked like and hadn't even seen his baby sister when she was born. He didn't even know what he looked like. Although, according to most people, he was pretty hot.

But Bellamy didn't take these things too hard. I mean, he was used to it. After the accident, being tough was something he had to do everyday. Sitting in hospitals and going to special schools. Learning braille and trying to take care of himself. He wasn't doing very well on the last part, which had sort of become a problem.

"What are you going to do when I'm gone?" Octavia demanded one afternoon, after a particularly bad day. Bellamy wasn't always the little angel he claimed to be. Not being able to see was quite infuriating some days.

"I'll be happy." Bellamy sighed, collapsing against the back of his chair. He always said sarcasm was his best defense. Along with his cane, which he hit people with on many occasions when they were being annoying. He was sort of like a senior citizen who was long past his prime and said inappropriate things in public. It never amused his sister.

"Haha." Octavia muttered. He could almost hear her eyes rolling and her hands on her hips. That was what most people did when Bellamy said something he shouldn't have. "Seriously, Bell, I'm worried about you. You never remember to take your medicine, you can barely walk without someone guiding you, and I wouldn't be surprised if you somehow got yourself into a fight."

"If I got into a fight, I would totally kick ass." Bellamy replied lamely. Everything Octavia had said was true. He forgot nearly everything, fell down on a daily basis, and happened to be extremely rude but somehow got away with it by using the blind card. He was a grade A douchebag.

Octavia sighed and Bellamy could hear her footsteps as she sat down across from him. She put her hand on his and he could imagine the tears in her eyes. Octavia cried a lot lately.

"I won't leave if you don't want me to. Lincoln can move in here and you won't have to be alone." she said, her voice quiet. Bellamy had heard this offer before. Octavia's boyfriend could live with them and she could give up her dream job that was all the way across the country. It was tempting but selfish, which was something Bellamy tried not to be.

"No, I won't let you give this up." Bellamy said, shaking his head. "I won't let you hold back because of me." Octavia sighed again, her breath shaky.

"Fine. But I'm finding someone to take care of you. And I'm calling everyday and if you don't answer I'm coming right home."

Bellamy laughed, hiding his worry. Octavia had always been there for him, but now she was leaving and the only person he would have was some old person who smelled like hard candy and dust. Caretakers were useless to Bellamy, but he had no other options. So, he laughed and hoped that at least Octavia would be happy.

The caretaker came at 8. In the morning. Bellamy didn't like waking up early in general, so doing it for his caretaker wasn't something he was happy about. But there was nothing stopping Octavia, who pounded on Bellamy's door at 7 and told him to get his ass in the shower.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Bellamy asked, shovelling cereal into his mouth as Octavia paced. The caretaker was late. Go figure.

"Girl." Octavia answered absently. "About your age." Bellamy paused, a spoonful of Captain Crunch halfway to his mouth.

"My age? No old lady that talks about her grandkids and offers me hard candy?" he asked, suddenly feeling better about the situation.

Octavia stopped pacing. Bellamy could feel her smiling at him. Sometimes she forgot that her brother wasn't absolutely clueless. His senses were much better than most.

"Nope, she's young. Nice. Pretty too." Bellamy didn't ask what was she looked like. Over the years he had realized that Octavia wasn't very good at describing things. Sure, she knew hair color and eye color and their approximate height, but that wasn't what he was interested in. He didn't just want a blank face. He wanted emotion and personality and all the things that make someone human. That was one thing Octavia couldn't do.

Five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. A neat, two syllable knock. Bellamy raised his head instinctively. Growing up, people had told him that his eyes freaked them out. He looked in the right direction, but nothing was there. Eventually he taught himself to act a bit more… not blind. If someone was talking he looked at them, if there was a loud noise and he flinched and turned his head, when something was beautiful he smiled. Even though all he saw was black.

"Hi." Octavia.

"Hello." Another voice. Young. Light. They shake hands.

"He might seem a bit...rude, but you'll grow on him. He just needs some time." Bellamy laughed to himself. He didn't need time. He needed his sister.

Two pairs of footsteps came into the kitchen. Octavia was staring. Bellamy looked up. Tension filled the room. The caretaker walked forward until she was face to face with Bellamy. She put out her hand.

"My name is Clarke." Bellamy ignored her hand, instead listening to her voice and the way she moved. She didn't talk like most people talked to him. There was no pity in her voice or that extra syllable to every word that made it sound like she was whining. She sounded normal.

"Bellamy." he said simply, listening to the rustle of her shirt as she retracted her hand. Octavia sighed in exasperation. Bellamy knew what she was thinking. Brother dearest couldn't hold it together for one day. What an idiot.

"Why don't you two get better acquainted." Octavia said after a minute of silence. She really knew how to annoy Bellamy. Her footsteps were loud as she stomped up the stairs.

Clarke took a seat at the table, while Bellamy continued to eat. He wasn't in the mood for small talk. The only reason he had agreed to this was because Octavia was worried and honestly, he needed help. But he wasn't looking for a friend. She had no reason to ask him about his day.

"You don't like me very much do you?" Clarke asked, sounding almost amused. "Or at least, the idea of me." Bellamy pushed his bowl away and folded his hands on the table. She was a quick learner.

"What makes you say that?" Bellamy smirked.

"Well, your sister told me you were a bit distant, but she didn't mention that you were a douchebag."

Damn. This girl definitely wasn't holding back. There was no trace of puppy dog eyes or "how are you's". To her, Bellamy was just another guy that she had to order around. Not a poor blind boy. Bellamy smiled.

"I think I'm gonna like you, kid."

Clarke let out a small breath and Bellamy thought she was smiling. Despite seeming carefree, she had her worries. Luckily, she got through the first test.

"Well, Bellamy, you won't have to worry about me. I promise I'll stay out of your way as much as possible." Clarke said.

"You won't let me fall down the stairs again?" Bellamy joked, pouting his lips like a toddler. At this point, he could joke all he wanted about the accident. What was done, was done.

"I'll get you down the stairs safely." Clarke smiled.

Bellamy was going to like this girl. Maybe, he could be happy too.


	6. Blind (Part 2)

*Chapter 6*

"Now is the dramatic moment of fate, when you step upon the stair for which is walking into your life, and you know not whether for good or ill."

\- Arthur Conan Doyle

A few weeks after Octavia left, it seemed that Bellamy was in the best mood of his life. It was like he had gone off to college, leaving his overbearing mother and moving in with his new roommate, who happened to be the most amazing person he had ever met. Which was great for him, yet annoying to Octavia, who didn't bother to hide her irritation.

"I've been gone for a month and you're suddenly the perfect angel!" she yelled one night, while she was talking to Bellamy on the phone. "I should've gotten you a caretaker a long time ago." Bellamy rolled his eyes, switching the phone to his other ear.

"Admit it, you're happy for me." Bellamy smirked. He knew his sister better than anyone else, which meant even over the phone he could tell when she was putting on an act so that he would feel guilty. "You have Lincoln and your dream job. I have a hot caretaker and an attitude check. Everything is in balance."

"Hot?" Octavia laughed, her voice a bit muffled. "How would you know? Did you ask?"

Bellamy wanted to hit his head against a wall. Of all people, Octavia wouldn't understand what he meant. But when Octavia heard something interesting, she didn't let it drop.

"No, I didn't ask." Bellamy said stubbornly, feeling like a child who did something bad but didn't want to admit it. "I just sort of… know."

Octavia was silent for a minute, but it felt like an hour. Bellamy felt like he was being tested and he wasn't very sure he had passed. Suddenly, Octavia laughed.

"There's something I never thought I'd see." she said quietly. Bellamy knew what she meant and had been thinking the same thing.

"Me neither."

Bellamy was nervous. Like when he was at doctor's getting tests done or was faced with the task of walking down stairs. His palms were sweaty, his mouth was dry, and he was slightly shaking. Clarke didn't notice.

They were walking through the local park like they did most days when the weather was good. Clarke had her arm through his as they walked, their feet moving at the same time. It usually soothed Bellamy, but not that day. Especially not Clarke's closeness, which made him even more scared of what he was about to say.

"Clarke," he said suddenly, swallowing the lump in his throat. "Can you tell me what you look like?"

Bellamy felt her stiffen like he knew she would. When a blind person asked you to describe something, it felt like a weight was put on your shoulders. Every word in your vocabulary flew from your mind and all you wanted to do was make it feel like a blind man was seeing again. Not even Clarke could escape the pressure.

"Sure." she nodded, her voice sounding uneasy. It was a new sound for Bellamy, who felt like he was about to pass out. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but something deep inside was telling him that she was special.

"I'm about a head shorter than you, although you probably figured that out by now. I have blonde hair with streaks of brown that people call dirty blonde but I call "highlighted". My eyes are blue and pretty unremarkable, although one time a kid wrote me a poem saying they were the color of the ocean and the sky all at once. Also, my smile is like sunshine and my nose is as cute as a button, but those aren't my words exactly."

Bellamy felt like his heart had stopped. It was so unlike every other time someone had described themselves. It was like he was on the edge of being able to see clearly but something was pulling him back. But he was close enough. Close enough to be able to imagine what Clarke looked like.

"Did I do ok?" she asked quietly. Bellamy looked over at the girl who he had only known for a few weeks and knew exactly what he wanted to say. Although, that didn't mean he was going to say it out loud.

"How about me?" Bellamy asked suddenly. "And the park. And everything. What does it all look like?"

Bellamy could imagine Clarke smiling. Such a beautiful smile. Something he didn't need to see in real life to remember forever. He hoped Clarke would never stop being his caretaker. Because it would be impossible to love someone as much as he loved her.

The familiar pain felt like a kick in the head. It woke Bellamy with a start and left him gasping and covered in sweat. It had been a while since his head had hurt that bad and he knew from experience that when it came, it was never good.

He swung his arm frantically, looking for anything in reach. His cane, his phone, some Advil. Anything. If Octavia was here… that wasn't important.

After what felt like hours, Bellamy finally found his phone, which of course, was where it always was. He quickly dialed Clarke's number and tried to breath but his head hurt too bad. The memory of his accident came back to him.

He was 3 years old, teetering at the top of the stairs. His mother wasn't paying attention. He was falling. There was blood everywhere. His head hurt. He wanted to go home.

He was 5 years old, still getting used to only seeing black. He could hear his baby sister waddling around. "Don't go near the stairs" he would say, rubbing at his eyes. His head still hurt.

He was 10 years old, sitting in a hospital bed. He didn't mean to fall and hit his head. He tripped all the time. The doctors whispered and his mom cried and Octavia asked if he was going to be ok. "If he plays too hard, it'll eventually get worse." the doctor said. "The headaches will never go away." They never did.

"Clarke? Please you have to come over. I need help." Bellamy said, his voice rough like sandpaper. His head felt like an atomic bomb went off inside of it.

"Bellamy, what happened? Did you fall? Are you ok?" Clarke's voice was scratchy. Bellamy didn't like it. He wanted her here with him. He wanted her to make the pain stop.

"You have to come over." Bellamy whispered, his voice cracking. "Please. I need you."

"Ok, I'm on my way. I'm calling an ambulance too." She paused. "You'll be ok, I promise."

Bellamy listened to the dull silence of the phone after she had hung up. He didn't think he was going to be ok. Countless doctors had told him countless things, but all of them had said that if he wasn't careful, the brain damage could get worse. It was either bedrest or head trauma. Bellamy wanted to live.

He reached his arm out, trying to find his cane. He reached farther. Too far. The edge of the bed was too close to stop from falling onto the floor. Bellamy felt like there was a crack in the back of his head and his brain was trying to escape. If he could see, there would be spots in his eyes. Clarke came a few minutes later.

"Bell, what happened?" Clarke said, her footsteps too loud and her voice too urgent. Everything was happening to fast.

"Clarke." That was all Bellamy could say. He put out his arm, hoping she would know what to do. She did.

Clarke sat on the floor with Bellamy's head in her lap. The ambulance was on it's way but that didn't stop the shaky breaths from leaving their mouths. It was like when you had a wiggly tooth and all that was left was a thread keeping it in place. They were stuck waiting.

"Clarke." Bellamy whispered, leaning into her hand that was resting on his face. "Can you tell me what you look like again." Clarke didn't hesitate.

"Blonde hair." She said, her voice soft like a lullaby.

"Blonde hair." Bellamy chanted back.

"Blue eyes."

"Blue eyes."

"Smile like sunshine."

"Smile like sunshine."

"Nose like a button."

"Nose like a button."

"I love you, Bellamy."

"I love you, Clarke."

The ambulance came a minute too late. Bellamy was already gone. And Clarke felt like she had gone with him.

**A/N: Hello Readers! First, I should apologize for that painful ending. It was painful for me too. Second, I feel like I should apologize for how short the Blind chapters were. I could've gone on and on with them (probably a full book), but I didn't want to bore anyone that wasn't interested. But anyway, I would like to thank everyone who has read my story and has made it this far. I didn't think anyone would read it, but apparently it's good stuff. I really appreciate every read I get, so thank you all! Please tell me what you think about the story and ways I could improve the writing. I will accept any and all criticism! Thank you again!**

**\- Megan **


	7. Runaway Bride

*Chapter 7*

"A certain something, he felt, had managed to work its way in through a tiny opening and was trying to fill a blank space inside him. The void was not one that she had made. It had always been there inside him. She had merely managed to shine a special light on it."

\- Haruki Murakami

A foldup cane. A medical record. A picture of a little boy with beautiful brown eyes that were still able to see. A death certificate. I didn't look at the objects more than I had to. The answers were all there. Once again, Bellamy and I were taken apart. This time, in a way that broke my heart more than it already had been. It was hard to pull myself together after that.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the phone. My stomach lurched in a different way than before. How would Bellamy feel if he knew what had happened to us? We had been killed, separated, and plenty of others things I hadn't even seen yet. What if the box was sent to me and not Bellamy for a reason? And what kind of person would I be if I put him through that kind of pain. I suddenly hoped Bellamy wouldn't call back. At least, not until I'm ready.

I set down the third stack and dug back into the box. What I saw was something I didn't expect.

The wedding invitation was a surprise. Not because Clarke doubted Raven and Finn would eventually get married, but because she didn't think she would be invited. I mean, how many ex girlfriends get invited to weddings? Not to mention, they had only broken up six months ago. But, despite the oddness of it all, Clarke knew she had to attend. If not for Finn, at least for Raven, who she had gotten pretty close with over the years. Besides, there was always something to look forward to at weddings. Champagne, mini food, and of course hot guys.

Although, Clarke had a theory that guys were never themselves at weddings. It was like putting on a suit and watching two people promise forever made them a sudden ten. Either way, Clarke wasn't looking for a hookup. She was just attending for moral support and nothing more.

The wedding arrived in no time at all, leaving Clarke in a state of panic. Mostly because she forgot all about it, got stuck in heavy traffic, and pulled up to the church fifteen minutes late. Not to mention, seeing Finn for the first time since their break up wasn't something she was looking forward to. It was easy for Clarke to say that she was a complete disaster. When she pulled open the heavy front doors and slipped inside, she wasn't surprised to find that the main entrance was empty. With her luck, the ceremony was probably half way over by then. And the task of finding where the ceremony was taking place was daunting all by itself. Clarke had never been very good with finding her way around.

"This should be fun." she muttered to herself, before setting off to find the wedding.

The church was huge, with all kinds of twists and turns and rooms that all looked the same. The whole thing was made of stones that reminded Clarke of Hogwarts castle or something. Each step she took echoed off the walls, making her feel all the more rude for showing up late. She almost expected a priest to storm into the hall and yell at her for being too loud.

After walking into too many private rooms and taking too many wrong turns, Clarke was officially lost. She felt like she was going in circles, yet hadn't seen anything that looked even remotely familiar. She was about to go back the way she came and ask for directions when she heard something coming from one of the rooms. It sounded like... someone crying?

"Hello?" Clarke whispered, knocking lightly on the door. "Are you ok?" There was a loud sniffle and a little cough.

"I'm fine." a voice croaked. The voice sounded familiar. Of course, the mess Clarke was already in had to become bigger

."Raven? Is that you?" Clarke asked, a bit louder this time. "It's Clarke, let me in." There was another sniffle then silence. Clarke was about to try the doorknob when the door suddenly opened. And there was Raven. Apparently, Clarke wasn't the only one who was a disaster.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Clarke gasped, following Raven into what looked like a little bathroom. There were tissues scattered all over the floor, along with Raven's veil and her shoes.

Raven sank to floor and rubbed at her face, smearing her mascara even more. "I don't know what to do." she stuttered, wrapping her arms around her knees, which wasn't very easy with her poofy white dress in the way.

"Everything was going fine until I looked into the chapel. There were so many people and Finn was standing at the end of the aisle looking so happy and I-."

Why me, Clarke thought, before shutting the door behind her and sitting across from Raven. It wasn't that she didn't want to help her friend, she just didn't know how. Clarke had never been married before, let alone had a serious long-term relationship. She knew next to nothing about what Raven was going through. But of course, she was the only one around who could help.

"I'm scared, Clarke." Raven whispered, her voice cracking. She looked like a toddler who was convinced there was a monster under her bed, and somehow it almost seemed like the same thing. Her future was so unsure and Clarke had no idea how to make her feel better.

"You're just having second thoughts. Everyone does." Clarke said carefully, trying to keep her voice light. "You just have to- to go and get married. Then everything will be fine." Even through her tears, Raven still managed to roll her eyes.

"That was really lame." Clarke said, feeling deflated. There was no clock in this room but she knew people were going to start looking for the bride soon and it would be an even worse mess if they saw her like this.

"Listen, I'm not an expert on this stuff but I can tell you that you and Finn are meant to be together. The way you two look at each other is something that you couldn't fake. I know you're having second thoughts but you have to push that stuff away. Because you love Finn and he loves you and that's all that matters right now." Raven looked frightened for a minute, staring at Clarke like she had eight heads, before she began to smile and nod her head. Clarke suddenly felt like she could breath again.

"You're right." Raven said, taking a deep breath. "I do love Finn. And I'm going to marry you, Clarke. For everything."

It was hard to tell, but Clarke didn't think she was just talking about their conversation. I mean, she was the last ex girlfriend. But either way, she was just happy that Raven was happy.

It only took five minutes for Raven to compose herself. When she walked out of the bathroom, with her veil tucked into her hair and her head held high, Clarke almost felt proud. There was no trace of running mascara or sadness. Just joy. Clarke should give advice more often.

The ceremony started as soon as Raven and Clarke arrived outside the chapel doors. There was a lot of chaos and questions but somehow Raven kept her cool. Unlike Clarke, who really just wanted to sit down and have some champagne. But by the looks Raven sent her every so often, she wasn't allowed to leave just yet.

The organ began to play from behind the huge oak doors and Raven's bridesmaids began filing in. Raven turned to Clarke one last time, mouthed "thank you", then walked down the aisle. It was one the most wonderful things Clarke had ever seen.

There were no seats left in the pews, so Clarke stood in the back, leaning next to the doors. She finally felt like she could relax after all the crazy things she had been through and was surprisingly looking forward to the reception. At least then, she could eat.

Towards the end of the ceremony, the doors opened again. No one noticed except for Clarke, who at that point, felt like her legs were about to fall asleep. She turned to see a guy about her age slip inside. He glanced around quickly before sliding next to Clarke, obviously out of breath.

"What, did you run here?" Clarke whispered, looking the guy up and down. She had to admit he was pretty cute, especially in his suit which was crinkled and crooked. He glanced at her, looking only mildly annoyed.

"No. But apparently, I'm not the only one who's late." he said, gesturing at the full room. Clarke blushed. She hated being late.

"For your information, I've been here since the beginning. If it wasn't for me the bride probably wouldn't even be up there right now." Clarke replied. Raven looked totally confident now, staring at Finn with more love in her eyes than Clarke could handle.

"Oh, really?" the guy smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I guess I lose then."

Clarke smiled, watching as Raven and Finn said "I do." Maybe this mess of a day wouldn't turn out so bad after all. She convinced the bride to stay and met a cute guy and still had most of the night to make things better. I guess things weren't always as they seemed.

"You have to at least let me fix the tie." Clarke laughed as her and Bellamy followed the crowd to where the reception was being held. In the time it took for Raven and Finn to kiss and for everyone to applaud, Clarke had learned the name of the cute guy and had gotten into a playful conversation about weddings. Because that's what you talked about at weddings, right?

"Fine." Bellamy sighed, turning to Clarke and rolling his eyes. They were the last people out of the chapel, which meant they were the only people in the hallway as Clarke tugged at Bellamy's crooked tie and began to retie it.

"Is this the first time you've ever tied a tie?" Clarke joked, flipping up his shirt collar and wrapping the tie around his neck. Who knew tying a tie could be so flirty? At least that's what Clarke was thinking.

"I don't get out much." Bellamy grinned. Clarke was starting to rethink her theory on weddings. She had seen enough movies to know that at weddings, anything could happen. Strangers could become friends or something more. And usually the bride and groom weren't the only ones who ended up kissing at the end of the night. It just took a little bit of good timing and runaway brides to get Clarke to realize that.

After a full meal and some more flirting, Clarke and Bellamy were slightly drunk and looking to dance. Of course, that wasn't a problem considering where they were.

So, Bellamy grabbed Clarke's hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor. They moved easily and fit like puzzle pieces and it was like they had been doing this their whole lives. Each twirl, step, and move was perfect and Clarke felt like this was destiny. Funny, how easily people find love at weddings.

"I never asked who you were here for ." Clarke said suddenly after they had been dancing for what felt like eternity. By then, Clarke had her head on Bellamy's shoulder and they were barely moving at all.

"I went to school with Raven. We had a thing a while back, but i think she just needed more people to invite." Bellamy smiled. "What about you?"

"Finn's ex girlfriend. Sort of friends with Raven. I guess I'm an extra invite too." Clarke could feel Bellamy laugh.

"What are you talking about? Without you there would be no wedding." Bellamy countered.

Across the room, Clarke could see Raven and Finn. They had their arms around each other and were talking quietly. It was like they were on their own planet. Finn looked up suddenly, catching Clarke's gaze. Before she could look away he smiled, no hint of awkwardness in his face. He picked up his glass and raised it as if toasting Clarke. She beamed at him mouthing a quick "thank you".

"I don't know." Clarke said "I think they're too in love." Bellamy leaned back, looking into Clarke's eyes. She suddenly wondered how she had gotten there? When she first arrived she was lost and confused and now she was in the arms of a stranger who she suddenly thought she loved. Love at first sight had always seemed too childish for Clarke but in that moment it seemed all too real.

Without hesitation, Clarke leaned in and kissed Bellamy. It was a different kind of kiss then she had had before. It wasn't desperate or soft or sloppy. It was simple. Like they knew they didn't have time together but they didn't care because that one kiss was all they needed. It would last them forever.

"I think I love you. Is that crazy?" Bellamy murmured against Clarke's lips. It was like everyone around them had disappeared and it was just them with the candlelight and the champagne. They were in their own universe.

"Not at all." Clarke said, smiling softly. "I love you too." And then they kissed again. Just for the hell of it because they were at a wedding and why not?

Clarke's theory finally began to make sense. No one was as they seemed at weddings. But it wasn't because of the dresses or tuxedos or the proclamations of love. It was because for one night you could fall in love and fall out of it at the same time. Because that cute guy at the back of the church won't be there forever, so why not take the chance? For one night, fate wasn't dealing the cards. So, you stopped being you and became someone else.

**A/N: Hello! I think I'm going to start doing author's notes more, mostly because I like talking to you guys, even though I'm not really. But anyway, I finished another chapter! Hooray! I don't really think I did very good on this chapter content wise but I really enjoyed writing the end and I hope you liked it too. Please write reviews and tell me what you think and what I could improve! Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	8. Murphy the Cat

*Chapter 8*

"Fate is nothing but the deeds committed in a prior state of existence."

\- Ralph Waldo Emerson

For the first time in three days, I smiled. A genuine smile that made me almost feel happy for finding this goddamn box. The fourth layer didn't have much to it. Flowers that were just starting to wilt, a tie with a perfect knot, and a wedding invitation. There was no death or illness that took them apart. It just wasn't meant to be. I was ok with that ending. We had one memorable night together then didn't see each other again.

I put down the fourth layer with a sigh, hoping that the rest of them would be this happy. The first thing I saw when I looked into the box again was a folded up poster. When I unfolded it, I could see that it was a picture of an angry looking bear with a funky hat on that said "Smokey." On the side, it read: Only you can prevent wildfires. Except, wildfires was crossed out and replaced with kitchen fires. This ought to be good.

Bellamy could smell the smoke before he could see it. Of course, he couldn't see anything once he had figured it out and smoke had filled up half of his apartment already. All the rules about fire safety he had learned in elementary school came back to him, but seemed pretty useless. Because there were no firefighters on their way and no safe spot to wait while his apartment went down in flames. Perfect.

"Shit." Bellamy muttered, staring at the monstrous flames that covered his entire stove and the majority of his countertops. And right in the middle of it all was the pot of spaghetti he had been cooking with his oven mitts that were too close to the flames. Awesome.

Bellamy had heard once that with grease fires you weren't supposed to throw water on it or the flames would just get bigger, but honestly he didn't know the difference and wasn't going to sit around and think about it while his kitchen burned. He got the biggest pot he could find that wasn't on fire and filled it with water. Surprisingly, the sink hadn't even been touched by the flames yet. That was great Bellamy thought sarcastically. Now he could fill pots with water that wouldn't be able to boil due to his lack of a stove that worked. Cooking was great.

Apparently, Bellamy made the right call by throwing water on the fire because the flames went down considerably. It only took about three more pots full of water to get it to go out entirely. Although, by then, nothing was salvageable. The stove was burned to a crisp along with all the food that was inside and Bellamy's poor oven mitts that were green with white polka dots. Even the cabinets were stained black, making them look like a piece of artwork. Bellamy was not pleased. Especially since it was seven o'clock and his date was supposed to arrive an hour ago. Bellamy had only one word for this situation. "Perfect."

As soon as he said it, the fire alarm finally went off. And with it came the sprinklers, extinguishing what was left of Bellamy's good mood. Now he was wet, angry, and probably had smoke poisoning. Things couldn't get any better.

There was a sudden knock on the door and Bellamy's heart leaped into his throat. What if it was his date? He did know her to be the carefree type. What if she just forgot? And now she was here and would get to bask in all the glory that was Bellamy's failure of a date night.

But when he opened the door it wasn't his date, but a vaguely familiar girl with blonde hair and concerned blue eyes. Well, they were concerned until she got a good look at Bellamy who was soaked head to toe. Then she started to laugh.

"Haha, so funny." Bellamy rolled his eyes, wiping the water from his face. "What do you want?" "I was just wondering if you were ok." the girl wheezed, barely trying to contain herself. "I could see the smoke coming out from under the door."

Bellamy glanced back at his smoke filled kitchen and winced, remembering the rule about how you should crawl on the floor where all the breathable air is. Hopefully, he hadn't contracted lung cancer in the time it took for him to put out the flames.

"I'm fine." Bellamy sighed, leaning against the doorframe. "I appreciate your concern." The girl raised her eyebrows, looking Bellamy over for about the hundredth time.

"Are you sure about that? You look at little... wet. And ashy. And just a tad irritated, but that's really none of my business."

Bellamy looked down at himself. His whole body was covered in soot that wouldn't come off no matter how hard he tried. His clothes stuck to him and it was starting to get cold in the drafty hallway. The irritated part wasn't anything new.

"Maybe, I'm not fine." Bellamy said quietly, feeling like a kid who was being scolded. "But why do you care? Who even are you?"

"I live across the hall." the girl said, gesturing to her door that was opened a crack. "My name is Clarke. And I care because I'm a nice person. Are you not accustomed to those?"

Bellamy wasn't really. The nicest person he knew was his sister, and she wasn't what you could call, caring. Not to mention, his date had just stood him up. Apparently, Bellamy had no luck at all.

"Well Clarke, thank you for checking in on me, but I am absolutely fine. My kitchen is burnt to a crisp, I may have hypothermia, and my date stood me up, but I am all good." Bellamy stated bitterly, moving to close the door.

"Wait, at least stay at my place for the night." Clarke reasoned, leaning into the doorway. "You'll get smoke poisoning if you stay in there overnight. Plus, everything is wet so your hypothermia will get worse."

Bellamy looked over his apartment and knew Clarke was right. He didn't want to stay in this stranger's apartment, but he didn't really have a choice. He was in a time of need.

"Fine." Bellamy exhaled, turning back to his neighbor. "But I'm bringing my cat."Bellamy thought he saw Clarke laugh as he ventured into his room where his fat cat usually was. He was pretty used to being laughed at, mostly because he wasn't the smoothest guy around. And this occasion was pretty hilarious if he was being honest.

Once Bellamy had retrieved his cat and opened a few windows to let the smoke out he went back to the front door where Clarke was still waiting. She had a big grin on her face that suddenly made Bellamy want to grin too.

"This is the best thing I've seen all week." Clarke chuckled, pulling out her phone and quickly taking a picture. In other situations, Bellamy would be fuming but for some reason he just laughed.

"All week? I think you should give me more credit than that. How many soot covered, waterlogged, cat holding guys do you see? Plus I'm pretty cute, so I should get points for that." Clarke just laughed, holding open her apartment door. Maybe that night wouldn't turn out so bad.

Clarke didn't think Bellamy was a murderer. People had always told her she was too trusting and nice, but she couldn't help it. If someone needed help she gave it. And her neighbor who she had never talked to before was no exception. Besides, he didn't look like a psycho killer.

Especially when he walked out of Clarke's bathroom with just a towel around his waist. Whoever his date was, they were really missing out. Without the soot and dripping water, he looked like an angel coming down from heaven. Or a devil coming out of hell if you were counting the steam flowing out the bathroom. Either way, Clarke tried to avoid looking at him altogether.

"So, your date stood you up?" Clarke asked, poking at Bellamy's cat. Apparently, his name was Murphy and he was a real bastard. So far all he had done was take up most of the couch and stare at Clarke like her shoes didn't go with her shirt.

"Yeah." Bellamy answered, from where he was changing in Clarke's room. "I shouldn't be surprised though. She was sort of person who only showed up if they really cared and I can't say I'm the most interesting person."

Bellamy walked out of the bedroom, looking a bit embarrassed. His clothes were nice and clean now, showing how dressed up he was. Clarke suddenly felt a bit bad for bringing it up in the first place.

"I dated a girl like that. It's her loss." Clarke said, attempting to make things better. Of course, playing the gay card never made things better.

"Oh, you're-"

"Bi. Yeah."

You could cut the awkwardness with a knife. Bellamy cleared his throat while Clarke got two beers from the fridge. That conversation went down quickly.

"At any rate, I think you're pretty interesting. I don't know many people who can set their kitchens on fire from just from cooking spaghetti." Clarke shrugged, throwing a bottle to Bellamy and sitting back on the couch.

"Well, I don't know many people who would let a stranger into their apartment and let them use their shower." Bellamy countered, lifting Murphy from his spot and sitting down. The cat hissed menacingly before stalking away.

"You aren't a stranger. You're my neighbor." Clarke said simply. That was a lie, but Clarke had no other excuse. She just felt like letting him in was the right thing to do.

Bellamy raised his eyebrows and took a sip of Miller Lite. Honestly, who would stand up this guy?

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Clarke looked at Bellamy who looked just as surprised as her. She got up from the couch and went to the door, Bellamy trailing behind her. She could tell by the nervous look in his eyes that he thought it might his date, but Clarke knew better. There was no way it would be her. When Clarke opened the door, she almost wished it was Bellamy's date. Instead, it was a group of firemen. They looked pissed.

"Who had the fire?"

An hour later, the firemen were finally gone. And the first thing both Clarke and Bellamy did was laugh their asses off. For an hour straight, the group of firefighters gave a lecture about fire safety and how to prevent from starting fires. They even showed their gear and provided Bellamy with a poster of Smokey the Bear. It was one of the most hilarious things either of them had seen.

"This isn't right." Clarke grinned, shaking her head as she studied the poster. She grabbed a marker and crossed out the words "forest fire".

"Really?" Bellamy laughed as Clarke wrote in "kitchen fire" instead.

"You better keep this forever." Clarke joked, holding the poster in front of her face. "To remind yourself that only you can prevent kitchen fires."

When Clarke lowered the poster she expected to see Bellamy smiling at her joke but she didn't really have time to notice because he immediately kissed her. No warning and no explanation.

"What was that for?" Clarke muttered, not bothering to pull away.

"Why not?" Bellamy smiled before kissing her again. And for Clarke, that was enough.

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry it took so long for this chapter. I've been a bit busy today and got totally sidetracked (Gilmore Girls is extremely addicting.) But anyway, I thought I would switch things up with this chapter (switching POV's) and give a little bit of happiness because things have been pretty sad lately. Also, I'm thinking about writing another fic after Never Let You Go that would be centered around this chapter because I have lots of ideas and I really enjoyed writing this. Please tell me what you think of that (or other chapters you think would make good full stories) and tell me what you think of the chapter! Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	9. I Love You, Princess

*Chapter 9*

"I met a boy whose eyes showed me that the past, present and future were all the same thing."

\- Jennifer Elisabeth

Clarke Griffin was what you could call an untold legend. She was someone you didn't read about in a textbook or looked up on Google, but someone you heard stories about. Stories that were passed down from grandmothers and grandfathers with war in their eyes and memories on their tongues.

At first, you didn't believe them. Only for a second. They were old and their minds had faded. Maybe it was something they had made up. But, no, it was true. Clarke Griffin was a legend in many ways. But most importantly because she was a rebel.

The wounded soldiers came rushing in looking like they had just seen ghosts. Their faces were white underneath the blood and dirt and fear. Clarke knew that expression well. She saw it every minute of every day working with the Red Cross. She made that expression when she was on the battlefield herself. But that was long ago.

"Griffin." Raven said urgently, pulling Clarke away from the entrance of the tent. Somedays Clarke was right on top of things, handing out medicine and whatnot. Other days it took a lot to get her to pay attention to anything. War had changed her in ways she wasn't even sure of.

"What do we have?" Clarke asked, shaking all the stray thoughts from her mind.

"3 gunshot wounds to the leg, 2 to the arm, 1 to the chest. 6 stab wounds to various places. 4 dehydration and 4 small scratches in need of stitches." Raven recited, looking over a messy list. Clarke surveyed the room, trying to focus on the job at hand. Today was one of those bad days.

"What's the worst?" Clarke questioned, blinking at the 20 new men that had crowded into the tent. There was so much blood and so much chaos, yet it didn't affect her. That was why she had enlisted in the first place right?

"The chest. He's got dehydration too and is gonna need some stitches for his head." Raven said, nodding to one of the beds. There were so many nurses surrounding him that Clarke couldn't even see the patient.

"I'll take that one." Clarke nodded, before slipping away towards the crowd. The whole tent was buzzing, making Clarke's head spin. Sometimes she wished that she didn't have to be the boss.

"Alright, everyone shut up!" she shouted, causing the whole tent to stop in its tracks. Every nurse, patient, and doctor was silenced.

"Patients please find a cot and sit down, I don't care that you feel fine. Whoever has a bullet or stab wound must see a doctor or nurse immediately. Stitches can wait.

"Now all of you," Clarke pointed to the group surrounding the chest wound patient. "Get the hell out of my way and find your own case."

Everyone knew Clarke was the boss so she didn't need to say things twice. The nurses fled the scene, finding other patients to tend for. The remaining patients grumbled a bit but eventually found seats somewhere. Despite being a woman, everyone listened to Clarke.

The man in front of her was in worse condition than she expected. His chest looked like it was torn apart, with blood soaking through his torn shirt that made it look like skin. His whole face was covered in so much mud and blood that his face seemed almost inhuman. And all the while he was still conscious.

"Hey, sweetie." Clarke whispered, taking his face in her hands and checking that he was still alive. His eyes were barely open but they looked straight at her as if he was totally fine. "Can you tell me what your name is?"

The man took a shaky breath that made Clarke's heart beat faster than she thought possible. She never knew when a man breath would be his last.

"Bellamy." the man croaked. "What's yours?" Clarke thought she could see a hint of a smile on his face. She mustered a laugh.

"I'm Clarke. I'm going to take care of you, Bellamy, is that alright?" Clarke wasn't really looking for an answer.

"I wouldn't want anyone else, Princess." Bellamy smirked. Clarke gave him a small smile. It was always important to act like it wasn't as bad as it seemed. It was supposed to make the pain go away.

Clarke quickly got to work, cutting off the tattered remains of his shirt and getting as much blood off of his chest as she could. The bullet hole was still bleeding like crazy and Clarke began to wonder how Bellamy had even made it this far.

"Ok Bellamy, this is going to hurt but I need to you stay as still as possible. Can you do that?" Clarke said, trying to keep her voice light. She had gotten pretty good at that over the past few months.

"Yes, Princess." Bellamy breathed, taking a deep breath.

Clarke began to get the bullet out of Bellamy's chest.

His heart stopped. Twice. The second time for about four minutes. Somehow, he came back.

"I'm a survivor, Princess." He murmured once he was awake again. Clarke rolled her eyes but was amazed. She had never seen someone come back so many times and be in as good a shape as Bellamy was. All he needed was some rest and he could be back in the field in a few weeks.

"How's he doing?" Raven asked later that night, once every patient was cared for and they could finally take their break. After getting the bullet out of Bellamy's chest and cleaning him up as best she could, Clarke gave a couple men stitches and replaced a man's dislocated shoulder. But Bellamy's smile never left her mind.

"Better. Really good, actually. I've never seen someone bounce back so quickly from a bullet to the chest." Clarke said shaking her head. "It's amazing."

"He seems to like you." Raven remarked, a smile creeping onto her face. "When I checked on him, he asked for you."

Clarke groaned, crossing her arms over her chest. She had seen this plenty of times before. Hundreds of soldiers came through every day and at least one nurse got hit on. They would claim love and the girls would roll their eyes. They knew better. There was no time for love in war.

"He's delirious." Clarke muttered, beginning to walk back into the tent. As she said the words, she wanted to believe them, but she honestly couldn't. Bellamy was something else.

When Clarke walked into the patient's tent the next morning, she didn't expect her admirerer to be awake. Yet, of course, there he was, sitting up and studying the white bandage around his chest that had a spot of red in the middle.

"I wouldn't poke at that if I were you." Clarke joked, leaning against the end of his cot. Bellamy looked up and instantly smiled, pulling down his shirt

"Hey, Princess." Bellamy grinned. "Did you come to save my life some more?"

"Just to stitch up your face." Clarke replied, pulling a needle from the kit next to the bed. "Why do you call me princess, anyway?" Bellamy chuckled before folding his hands in his lap like he was about to tell a very interesting story.

"Well, the first time I met you, less than a day ago, I remember you were yelling. As soon as the first word left your mouth the whole tent went silent and all of those nurses stopped what they were doing, which, by the way, wasn't very much. You told them to get the hell out of your way and they didn't hesitate." Bellamy paused for dramatic effect. "But when you came to my bedside, you had the most beautiful face I had ever seen. Somehow through it all, you looked calm and told me things were going to ok."

"And?" Clarke persisted, knowing there was more to it than that.

"And you reminded me of a princess. Someone who's a leader but can maintain all of her beauty and grace. You're a savior."

Bellamy was silent after that, letting the words sink in. Clarke had been told many times by many soldiers that she was beautiful, but never like that. As she cleaned his wounds and stitched them up, she began to wonder how he could say all that? He was nearly dead when he came in last night, yet somehow he still had time to fall in love with her.

"I know this is completely inappropriate and I shouldn't even ask but, when this war is over, would you like to get dinner with me?" Bellamy asked, after Clarke had changed his bandages and was starting to clean up.

"What?" Clarke laughed, expecting him to break out into his now familiar grin. But he was silent and when she looked up he looked serious for once. "You don't want to go out with me. I'm- I'm not."

"You're the most amazing girl I have ever met. In the whole world, I have never met anyone like you. And there's no one I would rather go out with." Bellamy said, taking Clarke's hand.

After a moment, Clarke finally answered, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Of course, Bellamy. I'll go to dinner with you."

Three weeks after Bellamy was shot in the chest, he was drafted back out onto the battlefield. In that time, he had lived a whole lifetime with the perfect girl. Leaving her made the bullet wound feel like a papercut.

"Don't forget about our date." Bellamy whispered as he kissed Clarke one last time. For the first time ever, Bellamy saw Clarke cry. It was something he didn't want to see ever again.

"I won't, I promise." she breathed, cupping his face in her hands. "I love you."

"I love you too."

They never saw each other again. The war ended and they wanted to get together but things got in the way. Time, distance, destiny. But they never forgot each other. And the untold legend of Clarke Griffin was passed through the generations. The woman who snuck into the war as a man and became the best Red Cross nurse in the war. And somehow, fell in love.

**A/N: Hello dear readers! Per usual, I wanted to put more into this chapter but didn't want to bore you with details and making the chapter too long. (Although, it's pretty short compared to others.) Once again, I'd like to present the option of turning this chapter (or any others) into full fics. I would really appreciate your input! Please tell me what you thought of the chapter and suggest what I could improve. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	10. Royals

*Chapter 10*

"Long before they had ever met, I think this destiny awaited them. They were not like ships passing in the night. It wasn't like they didn't understand each other. They understood each other better than anyone else, and each was focused solely on the other."

― Gen Urobuchi

Bellamy Blake was said to have a good eye. Maybe it was from all the hunting he had done since he was a boy or the constant battle training he went through with a variety of different weapons. Most people said it was from being a warrior.

Either way, Bellamy knew exactly who had entered the bar as soon as the heavy door opened. She was hard to miss, despite the hood covering her face and cloak hiding her expensive clothing. It was a surprise that only Bellamy could recognize the soon-to-be queen of Ark.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked as she took a seat by the bar. Ironically, a seat right next to Bellamy. He was hoping she would notice him right away.

"I'm fine, thank you." she said, finally taking down her hood. Bellamy thought for sure that at least one person in the tavern would notice their princess. Of course, she wasn't theirs yet, but didn't anyone pay attention to politics?

"You know, I'm pretty sure that when you go to a bar, you're supposed to drink." Bellamy said, leaning closer to the heir of Ark. When she faced him, he thought for sure she must recognize him, but no luck. Although, her face showed the same look of disgust as it had the last time they had met. Apparently, the princess was a creature of habit. Or Bellamy wasn't as handsome as previously thought.

"That's none of your business." she replied, venom in her voice. Bellamy couldn't help but think of how great of a ruler she would be someday. The Grounders wouldn't know what had hit them.

"I apologize." Bellamy said quickly, hoping to recover their lame conversation. "I was just wondering what a fine lady like you is doing at a bar. If not to drink."

The princess turned back to Bellamy, her face almost thoughtful. As if she wasn't even sure why she was here. She took a deep breath. The kind of breath where for just a second your guard goes down and every worry and concern you have comes flying out for everyone to see. Bellamy knew she had been through a lot these past few weeks, but nothing prepared him for seeing her so… hurt.

"Some people just need to get away." she stated, after collecting her thoughts for a moment.

"Get away from what exactly?" Bellamy questioned, leaning ever closer. The princess looked grim.

"Life. Responsibilities. People." she admitted, shaking her head like she didn't want to say anything but couldn't help it. "Preferably people who say they want to make peace but obviously have something else in mind."

That caught Bellamy's attention. The last time they met, she had said something very similar. Along the lines of: "What do you really want out of this alliance?" Both times her eyes turned icy and her voice became fierce. She reminded Bellamy of a revolutionary who wanted what was best for her country but didn't know where to begin.

"That sounds interesting." Bellamy said slyly, hoping to hear more. "Who are these people?"

The princess gave Bellamy a cautious look before breaking into a small smile. He had heard that she was a sucker for gossip. And nothing was holding her back now. In this bar, she was a completely different person.

"Are you into politics, sir?" she asked, folding her hands in her lap like a storyteller would.

"I would say so." Bellamy nodded, pretending to be oblivious. Acting was never Bellamy's thing.

"Then you've heard about the arrival of Princess Clarke and her betrothal to the king?"

Her name was Clarke. Bellamy had seemed to forgotten it in the rush of things. Besides, when he talked to her last they didn't use real names. Titles seemed to sound more menacing.

"I've heard quite a bit about it, yes." Bellamy answered, barely holding in his laughter. That was the understatement of the year. His ears had been talked off by everyone he knew about it.

"Don't ask how I know, but the king is quite the controlling bastard. The poor princess should have him beheaded for being such a fool." Clarke said, smiling a real smile. Bellamy had never seen that before, especially not when talking about the death of her betrothed.

"You think so?" Bellamy wondered, suddenly feeling self conscious. "I thought he was a charming gentleman."

"Oh please! King Bellamy is the least charming man I've ever met!" Clarke scoffed.

Bellamy considered revealing himself right then and there. He knew the princess didn't particularly like him but all this was too much. How could he marry someone who wanted to behead him? He needed to set things straight with her. But seeing the joy in her eyes for the first time in weeks, Bellamy knew he couldn't just yet.

"You have to admit that the king has a good head on his shoulders though. Not many young men could run a country the way he does." Bellamy reasoned, hoping he could change her mind in some other way.

"That's true." Clarke allowed, shrugging her thin shoulders. "Which leads to the question of why he needs a wife in the first place. If he's doing so well with Ark, why add another ruler to the mix? Second opinions almost always make things worse."

"Every man needs a wife! No matter how smart or powerful! Women make men level headed and allow them to see reason. Without a wife, Bellamy could make a wrong decision that could cost him all of Ark. With Clarke, they can work together to find ways to improve the kingdom." Bellamy said, thinking of all the arguments his family had made for letting Clarke into the castle. At first, Bellamy hadn't been so keen on her arrival either.

"That's something I never thought I would hear a man say." Clarke laughed, looking at Bellamy fully. Her eyebrows furrowed. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

Bellamy's heart leaped. Finally she noticed! But at a bad time. He needed to know more, so he could show her how perfect their alliance really was.

"I've never seen you in my life." Bellamy said simply, taking a gulp of beer. It took a moment for Clarke to regain her thoughts.

"Anyway, I still think their betrothal is useless." she stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "They aren't even in love!"

"Perhaps if the princess gave the king a chance, they would fall madly in love." Bellamy countered. The thought had crossed his mind one too many times and always seemed ridiculous. Although, in that moment, he didn't find it so odd.

"That's not how it works." Clarke grumbled

"And how would you know?" Bellamy replied

"Why do you want them together so much?"

"Because you would make an amazing queen."

Wrong move. The words came tumbling out of his mouth before he could stop them. They were the same words he had said that very morning, when Clarke had arrived in Ark. She rolled her eyes then, making Bellamy feel like an idiot. But at the bar, staring into his face, her eyes filled with realization. And anger.

"How did you know I would be here?" she demanded, her eyes filled with fire that Bellamy knew all too well.

"Not just princesses need to get away." Bellamy smirked, knowing he was crossing the line. "Although, some people would say this was fate."

"Fate? That I found the king of Ark looking like a washed up peasant, sitting alone at a bar?" Clarke asked angrily.

"No. That we found each other." Bellamy laughed.

Luckily, the princess started to come around after that. Unlike at the castle, Bellamy and Clarke began to talk about what they were going to do. There were many problems ahead of them, and if they didn't figure them out, their alliance could be ruined. As it turned out, Bellamy was much more charming than Clarke once thought. And perhaps it was that night that they truly fell in love.

**A/N: That was fast! I'm flying through these chapters, honestly. Although this one is a bit short. Either way, I loved writing this chapter and I hope you liked it too! Please review and tell me what you think and how I could improve. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	11. Prom

*Chapter 11*

"If ever I was running, it was towards you."

― Jennifer Elisabeth

I looked over the seven stacks of memories that were in a circle around me. Pictures and newspaper clippings and things that made my heart beat faster than I ever thought it could. There was only one story left in the box. One more version of me and Bellamy in one more parallel universe.

I was almost sad to be at the end. Even through all the heartbreak and the what if's. It was like living all these lives over again and falling in love every single time. There must have been more universes where we didn't work out, but this felt like the final destination.

At the bottom of the box, was a single rose and underneath it a sealed letter. Somehow unwilted and unwrinkled. There were no other words to describe it but beautiful. When I picked it up it was like something passed through me.

It was sort of like everything in the box came back to me. The speakeasy. The after school party. The park. The church. The apartment. The tent. The pub. All of it flashed through my mind like a movie. The odd objects suddenly made sense. Everything made sense.

"Holy shit." I said, rubbing my forehead. It felt like I had a severe case of brain freeze. The rose in my hand suddenly felt lighter. Like a feather.

The last memory floated into my mind like a cloud. I couldn't help but smile.

Clarke Griffin wasn't looking forward to prom. She wasn't really into getting dressed up or dancing. Sure, she had friends at school who were more than happy to show her how to have fun, but she didn't really want that. Of course, they didn't understand that.

"For the last time, I'm not going." Clarke sighed into the phone. There was a lot of mumbling and background noise before she got the same answer as before.

"Why not? It'll be so fun and you know it!" Jasper yelled. There was a loud crash in the background. Clarke rolled her eyes.

She had been given daily updates about her friends plans before, during, and after the prom. Right then, they were having their before party. The girls got ready while the guys hung around and caused chaos. That's what they were best at.

"Come on the whole gang is here." Jasper reasoned, his voice sounding less and less excited. Clarke knew he wanted her to be there but she refused. Proms just weren't her thing.

"Finn is here, you know." Jasper whispered.

Clarke's stomach churned. Ever since freshman year things had been weird between her and Finn. At first, things were fine. He was her friend and that was that. Sophomore year came and Finn started to become a bit more than a friend. They dated for a year. Until, Finn's girlfriend moved to town. Somehow, he forgot to mention her and break up with her before he moved. Clarke was devastated. The rest of junior year and most of senior was pretty awkward. Clarke had other things on her mind, yet Finn was still stuck on her. Lately, he had been pretty weird, getting angry at everyone and having random outbursts. It wasn't something Clarke liked to see.

"I hate to use this card, but he needs you here, Clarke. Having Raven here isn't helping much. We're worried." Jasper whispered through the phone.

"He's going to have to deal with it." Clarke answered, absently picking at a stray string on her shirt. "I'm not coming."

Jasper sighed. "Fine! You win!" It was funny how easily he could change moods. One second he was worried the next he was partying it up. Clarke wished she had it that easy. "You have to at least say hi to everyone though. I'm putting you on speaker."

Clarke waited as Jasper played with his phone. She still felt unsure about all of it. There was a borrowed dress from Octavia hanging in her closet just waiting to be worn and she knew that she wouldn't hear the end of it if she didn't go. Finn was all alone and she had nothing better to do. What if she just went for the hell of it?

"Say hi, Clarke." Jasper shouted. There was even more background noise than before.

"Hey everyone." Clarke said, attempting to sound happy. There was a chorus of greetings that made Clarke pull the phone away from her ear because it was so loud. After that, Clarke said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.

Prom sucked.

By ten o'clock Clarke was falling asleep. Scrolling through her phone was useless due to the nonstop stream of pictures and videos coming from the prom. It wasn't that she was jealous, just annoyed. Why couldn't she have fun once in a while?

So, she laid in bed and did everything imaginable. She read, watched tv, drew (with crayons, of course), listened to music, and so much more. Nothing was satisfying. I guess, it was just one of those nights. She was finally starting to doze off when she heard something at her balcony.

"What the hell?" she muttered, pushing aside the curtains. Through the glass doors she could see a bunch of little rocks scattered around her balcony. Another one came launching in, hitting the glass in front of Clarke's face.

"Hey!" Clarke shouted, slipping out onto the balcony. She heard a familiar laugh and when she looked down saw none other than Bellamy.

Bellamy had been Clarke's best friend since preschool. Unlike Finn or Jasper, she knew Bellamy understood her. He didn't try to get her to go to prom or hang out with them when they went out and did crazy things. He got it. Which was why it was unexpected to see him in a tuxedo in Clarke's backyard.

"What are you doing?" Clarke demanded, trying not to smile. Bellamy looked good in a tux. Especially when he was throwing rocks at Clarke's window.

"Come down. I have a surprise." Bellamy answered, a giant grin on his face. Clarke rolled her eyes, but went back into her room and ran down the stairs.

"Why aren't you with everyone else?" Clarke questioned, digging her feet into the grass as she came to a stop in front of her friend.

"Why would I be with them when I could be here with you?" Bellamy smiled, bouncing up and down like a little kid.

"You know I hate it when you answer my questions with questions." Clarke said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, although keeping the goofy grin on her face. Bellamy was sort of like a puppy. You wanted to mad when he peed on the floor but it was so hard when he was that adorable.

"Prom wasn't the same without you. So, I decided to bring it here."

Bellamy took his hands out from behind his back and handed Clarke a beautiful red rose. He winked at her before running to a huge tree and pressing a button. Suddenly, her whole yard was flooded with light as the tree twinkled with little Christmas lights. Bellamy pressed another button and music began to play from a little speaker he had on the ground.

"Clarke, I know this is a little last minute, but will you go to prom with me?" Bellamy smiled, taking his hands in hers.

The tears came before she could stop them. It felt like one of those moments in an 80's movie where the guy comes with a boombox on his shoulders and tell the girl he loves her. It was amazing and unexpected and everything Clarke had ever wanted. The only thing she could do was nod, laugh, then kiss Bellamy like her life depended on it.

"I'll go to prom with you." Clarke smiled, wrapping her arms around Bellamy's neck.

Together, they danced for what felt like forever, stuck in this trance that most people would call love. It was something completely magical and cliche that could never be replaced. It wasn't often that you found a couple as in love as they were.

Clarke and Bellamy were the teenage couple you see walking down the street with their hands intertwined and grins on their faces like they knew a secret you didn't. They were the couple that just got married and were already planning their future slowly but surely. They were the couple that fought over what they were having for dinner but made up five minutes later when one of them gave the other puppy dog eyes. They were the old couple who sat on benches in parks and told stories about all the adventures they went on together.

It was something you found in movies or books that seemed impossible but was right there in front of you. It was fate and destiny and love and every other hopeful thing you could think of. They were eternity.

And nothing was going to break them apart.

**A/N: Hey there! So, this is it. Only one chapter left of this wonderful fanfiction I can't believe people like. I'm really sad to see it ending, but I know that it's for the best. Please tell me what you think of the chapter and how I could improve. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	12. I'll Never Let You Go

*Chapter 12*

"No matter how pathetic or pitiful, every human is fated to have one moment in their lives in which they can change their own destiny."

\- Takayuki Yamaguchi

The last thing in the box was a letter. Just like on the box, there was no address or anything. Only my name. Without hesitation, I ripped open the top and pulled out the letter.

_Dear Clarke, I'm not really sure how to write this letter. I've been sitting here for hours trying to think of the right thing to say, but nothing sounds right. Even Octavia, who's been stuck in her own little world lately, came up to make sure I was ok. But I guess you could expect that from me. I've never been very good with words, but you knew that already. _

_ I'm in love with you, Clarke. Every minute of every day I'm thinking about you and it sounds so stupid and cliche but I've never felt like this before except I have. Because no matter what year or century or universe, I will always be in love with you. No matter what the world puts between us we always find our way back to each other and that's something we can never lose. _

_ I know you've already thought about it and probably already have a plan, but let me say it. We need to change our fate. We can't go on forever falling in love then being separated, it just isn't fair. Fate has screwed with us for far too long. And I think you already know who will have to change things. I wish I had when I had the chance, but I was stupid enough to think it was a joke. But, you're smarter than that. _

_ Hopefully, the next time we meet will be different. No illness or bad timing. Just two kids who really like each other. I know you can do it, Clarke. _

_ May we meet again, Bellamy _

_ P.S: I probably should've mentioned this earlier, but I'm not Bellamy from your world, exactly. I guess you could say I'm Bellamy from the future. Pretty cool, huh?_

I laughed, reading the paper again. He was right. I had already thought about how I could change things. There was no way I could just sit around while my lives were messed with. But before I could do that I felt like I needed to have a bit of a service. For all the times where we didn't make it.

I picked up the first stack. Flapper Clarke and Detective Bellamy were married before they were shot and killed in a police raid. They had come so far. I smiled as I looked through the pictures again, even pausing on the sort of obituary to see us one last time.

"May we meet again."

Next, was little kid Bellamy and Clarke. Not quite at love but close enough that fate had to rip them apart. I folded up the paper airplanes and placed them carefully in the box. After Bellamy moved, the paper airplanes probably became something of memory to Clarke.

"May we meet again."

Blind Bellamy and Caretaker Clarke. I got choked up just looking at the papers. Bellamy's death certificate and his cane and all these things that meant so much at the time but would mean nothing to him now. They had come pretty close that time. Until fate decided at a young age that Bellamy would die from head trauma. Taking Clarke's heart with him.

"May we meet again."

The wedding. For once, a bit of joy between them. One night that felt like a lifetime but would end when the sun came up. No phone numbers or emails that would beg them to just have one more day. That was one separation I was ok with.

"May we meet again."

Stack number five. Bellamy set his kitchen on fire and Clarke let him use her shower. Something that seemed so normal except they weren't normal people. It could've worked out except Bellamy's apartment was fixed and his date called back and things sort of got in the way. I folded up the poster of Smokey the Bear and put Bell's green polka dotted oven mitts on top.

"May we meet again."

Number six was Soldier Bellamy and Nurse Clarke. They promised each other a date, yet things never worked out like that. Love and war weren't something that mixed very well. After the war, they had to go their separate ways. It was inevitable. There was no way they could find each other when they were on different sides of the country. I set the Red Cross badge on top of the army enlistment applications. For both Bellamy and Clarke.

"May we meet again."

Most of the next stack was web print outs of portraits and legends. Princess Clarke and King Bellamy of Ark, the best leaders anyone had ever seen. They almost made it to the end, getting married then ruling their kingdom for several years. Until the Grounders found their way in and kidnapped Clarke. It was easy to figure out the rest.

"May we meet again."

Last but not least was prom. In my world, prom had already passed with little excitement and no Bellamy. But, even if there was, it would've worked out the same. After their perfect night, they dated for a while until it was time for them to go to college. Clarke went to New York. Bellamy went to California. I stacked the rose on top of the box.

"May we meet again."

There it was. All my lives put away in a little box on my living room floor. It was hard to believe so much had happened in only an hour. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the box or if it would just magically disappear like it had appeared on my doorstep. Either way, it didn't matter. I still had one thing left to do.

I glanced at the pink landline. I used to be afraid of that stupid thing, with it's sparkly heart stickers. It was always daring me to call the person I wanted to talk to most, yet he wouldn't answer. But something told me that this time he would. So, I picked up the phone and dialed his number.

I took the chance. And this time fate had nothing to do with it.

**A/N: Hooray! There's so much I would like to say which is why I'll be posting an acknowledgments and other notes chapter soon enough. Please tell me what you thought of this chapter and how i could improve. Thanks for reading!**

**\- Megan**


	13. Acknowledgements

p style="text-align: center;"*Acknowledgements*/p  
p style="text-align: left;" Holy crap, I can't believe I finished it! In my whole short writing career I have never finished anything, so this is a huge accomplishment on my part. There are lots of thankyou's I would like to give out, so sit tight. /p  
p style="text-align: left;" First, I would like to thank granola bars for getting me through this every morning by being an amazing breakfast. Next, April Vacation, for providing me with a week to write a whole fanfiction, uninterrupted. Next, I would like to thank my laptop, Steve Rogers, for being fabulous and not a total dickhead most of the time. Also, Google Docs, for allowing me to write 73 pages of absolute crap, although some people would say it's pretty good. /p  
p style="text-align: left;" Lastly, I would like to thank all the wonderful people reading this. In my opinion, I'm a horrible writer who shouldn't even be on the internet, but getting all these reads and all your reviews and favorites really made me feel good about myself. Even though there are probably people who have a ton more reads and such, I feel really lucky to have what I have right now. I wouldn't ask for anything else in the world. /p  
p style="text-align: left;" Thank you all again! You rock! I hope you enjoyed Never Let You Go and have all the feels about it and are going to go tell all your friends about this wonderful fanfiction and they'll get so annoyed that they'll have to read it too. And maybe, if you stick around you can read my upcoming project which will be focused around the chapter Murphy the Cat. It'll be renamed and have a few detail and plot changes, but the whole idea will be the same. So, please please please, stay tuned for more. /p  
p style="text-align: left;" Thanks for reading! Goodbye!/p 


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